Dads’ Time Tales, a book of children’s stories that have been written by a group of fathers for their young children, has just been published. The book contains six different stories that have been written by eight fathers who are all members of a fathers’ group in Croydon.
The fathers come from a variety of backgrounds. After attending a Government funded storybook project at the Croydon Adult Leaning and Training Service, the fathers decided to write a storybook.
The popular Dads’ Time group has about 45 members, and meets on Saturday mornings at Croydon Playzone on London Road. The group had to start Dads’ Time 2 because it was such a hit. The new group meets at the Aerodrome Children’s Centre on Sunday lunchtimes.
Unfortunately, the much-loved group is under threat due to lack of funding. The Deputy Manager of Family Support at Croydon Pre-school Learning Alliance, Jill Shay said: “Dads’ Time began six years ago after various organisations set up a working party to create a safe and comfortable environment for dads meeting regularly together with their young children. Our initial thought was that it would appeal most to the weekend ‘McDonald Dad’ – the father who possibly only has weekend access – and we would provide a warm haven for such dads to spend quality time with their children.
“How wrong we were. We were soon full to bursting with dads, young and old, granddads, uncles and their children from all walks of life. As the group has developed over the years, it has given the dads confidence to engage in family-learning activities and learn ways to support their children’s development.
“It is wonderful to see how they play with their children, and how the bond between the fathers and their children has strengthened as we know from research the huge positive impact this can have on their children’s lives and is a lifetime investment.
“Dads’ Time has also become a support network for the men as some have been through tough times and lost their jobs.”
Dads’ Time’s future hangs in the balance due to cuts to local authority funding.
Miss Shay said: “The dads and their children who have passed through our doors in the last six years have been the lucky ones, as we do not have any further funding to continue this vital and important work. The Pre-school Learning Alliance Croydon sub-committee is looking at every possible avenue to secure future funding.”